Piercing and extruding mandrel locking means and parts therefor or the like



D. GETTIG PIERCING AND EXTRUDING MANDREL LOCKING MEANS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 18, 1967 AND PARTS THEREFOR OR THE LIKE Filed Jan. 2, 1964 INVENTOR. ALLEN D. GETTIG BY w )nx/l/ HIS ATTORNEYS Apnl 18, 1967 A. D. GETTIG 3,314,268

'PIERCING AND EXTRUDING MANDREL LOCKING MEANS AND PARTS THEREFOR OR THE LIKE Filed Jan. 2, 1964 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. ALLEN D. GETTIG BY wv W400 )azzw ms ATTORNEYS United States Patent PIERCING AND EXTRUDING MANDREL LOCK- flilkGEMEANs AND PARTS 'IHEREFOR OR THE Allen D. Gettig, Phoenix, Ariz., assignor to Reynolds Metals Company, Richmond, Va., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 2, 1964, Ser. No. 335,097 8 Claims. (Cl. 72-'265) This invention relates to an improved extruding and piercing mandrel locking means as well as to improved parts therefor or the like.

It is well known to provide an apparatus wherein a solid heated metallic billet can be placed therein and subsequently be pierced by a mandrel in such a manner that the pierced billet can be extruded into a thin walled tubular length by the apparatus.

However, such prior known apparatus so arranges the piercing and extruding mandrel thereof that the piercing and extruding mandrel is adapted to rotate relative to the apparatus while performing its piercing and extruding operation.

Such rotation of the piercing and extruding mandrel is not particularly adverse when the apparatus is extruding a tubular length having a circular cross-sectional configuration.

However, when the apparatus is being utilized to extrude a tubular length having a cross-sectional configuration other than circular, such as rectangular or the like, the piercing and extruding mandrel must be positively held from rotational movement relative to the billet being extruded thereby.

Also, such a piercing and extruding mandrel must have means whereby the same can have its rotational position adjusted relative to the apparatus in order to properly align the extruding end of the mandrel relative to the apparatus while still being adapted to be positively locked in the aligned position thereof to prevent rotational movement.

According to the teachings of this invention, such an improved mandrel locking means are provided.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide an improved piercing and extruding mandrel locking means having one or more of the novel features of this invention as set forth above or hereinafter shown or described.

Another object of this invention is to provide improved parts for such a mandrel locking means or the like.

Other objects, uses and advantages of this invention are apparent from a reading of this description which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings forming a part thereof and wherein:

FIGURE 1 is an axial, cross-sectional view illustrating the improved apparatus of this invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary, cross-sectional view of the mandrel locking portion of the apparatus of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is an end view taken on line 3-3 of FIG- URE 2.

FIGURE 4 is an exploded, fragmentary, perspective view illustrating the various parts of the mandrel locking means of this invention.

FIGURE 5 is a partial, cross sectional side view of the locking sleeve of this invention.

While the various features of this invention are hereinafter described and illustrated as being particularly Fatented Apr. 18, 1967 "ice adapted for locking a piercing and extruding mandrel from rotational movement relative to the structure carrying the same, it is to be understood that the various features of this invention can be utilized singly or in any combination thereof with other apparatus as desired.

Therefore, this invention is not to be limited to only the embodiments illustrated in the drawings, because the drawings are merely utilized to illustrate one of the wide variety of uses of this invention.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the piercing and extruding apparatus of this invention is generally indicated by the reference numeral 10 and comprises a stationary housing 11 having a cylindrical chamber 12 therein to receive a heated and solid metallic billet 13 in a manner well known in the art, the billet 13 having an end 14 disposed against an external extruding die means 15 while the other end 16 thereof is adapted to be disposed against a relatively movable dummy block 17 for a purpose hereinafter described.

A movable frame means 18 carries a hollow stem 19 adapted to engage the dummy block 17 to push the same to the left in the drawings to extrude the billet 13 in a manner hereinafter described, the hollow stem 19 encompassing a relatively movable extruding and piercing mandrel 20 having a tip 21 for piercing and extruding the billet 13 in a manner hereinafter described.

The piercing and extruding mandrel 20 is formed from a plurality of parts secured together in aligned relation as illustrated in FIGURE 1 wherein the terminal part 22 thereof is carried by an axially movable housing 23 to move the mandrel 20 axially to the left and to the right for a purpose hereinafter described.

When it is desired to extrude a tubular length from the solid metallic billet 13, the apparatus is first disposed in the position illustrated in FIGURE 1. Thereafter, the axially movable housing 23 is moved to the left from the position illustrated in FIGURE 1 to cause the tip 21 of the mandrel 20 to pierce through the billet 13 until an extruding surface 24 of the tip 21 is disposed in a position to cooperate with the external extruding die means 15 to define an annular chamber therebetween. At this time, further movement of the mandrel 20 is terminated and the stem 19 is then moved to the left to cause the billet 13 to be extruded between the die means 15 and the surface 24 of the tip 21 of the mandrel 20 whereby a tubular length is extruded out through a passage means 25 of the apparatus 10 in a conventional manner.

Therefore, it can be seen that if the apparatus 10 of this invention is to extrude a tubular length in the above manner and having a cross-sectional configuration other than a true circular cross-sectional configuration, it is mandatory that the tip 21 of the mandrel 20 to be held in a fixed rotational position relative to the external die means 15 to extrude the tubular length with the desired non-circular cross-sectional configuration.

Accordingly, this invention provides improved means for holding the piercing and extruding mandrel 20 in a fixed rotational position relative to the axially movable housing 23 while still permitting rotational adjustment therebetween when desired.

The particular details of the piercing and extruding mandrel locking means of this invention will now be described.

As illustrated in FIGURE 1, the part 22 of the mandrel 26 has an enlarged end 26 disposed in a stepped bore 27 of the housing member 23 to firmly secure the mandrel 20 thereto for axial movement therewith.

Thus, a tubular portion 28 of the housing member 23 encompasses a substantially cylindrical portion 29 of the mandrel 20.

As illustrated in FIGURE 2, the tubular portion 28 of the housing 23 has an internal recess 30 interrupting the end 31 thereof and is adapted to receive a tubular part 32 of a locking sleeve 33 in the manner illustrated in FIG- URE 2, the sleeve 33 being interconnected to the housing 23 and to the part 29 of the mandrel 20 to prevent rotational movement therebetween in a manner now to be described.

As illustrated in FIGURES 4 and 5, the sleeve 33 has the internal peripheral surface 34 thereof interrupted by a plurality of slots 35 adapted to respectively receive key members 36 respectively received in recesses 37 formed in a cylindrical projection 38 on the mandrel part 29 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2 whereby the sleeve 33 is held from rotational movement relative to the mandrel 20.

The sleeve 33 has an outwardly extending end flange 39 provided with a plurality of arcuate slots .0 passing therethrough and adapted to be aligned with a plurality of threaded bores 41 formed in the end wall 31 of the housing member 23.

Thus, after the sleeve 33 has been received in the recess 30 of the housing member 23 and is interlocked to the mandrel 20 by the key members 36 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2, the fiange 39 of the sleeve 33 can be interconnected to the housing 23 by a plurality of threaded fastening members 42 in the manner illustrated in FIGURE 2.

However, before the threaded fastening members 42 are utilized, the mandrel 20 is rotated to the desired rotational position relative to the housing member 23 and, thereafter, the threaded fastening members 42 are passed through suitable apertures 33 in washer-like members 44 to be passed through the slots in the sleeve 33 and be received in the threaded bores 41 of the housing member 23 to firmly secure the sleeve to the housing member 23.

Thus, when the various fastening members 42 are tightened, the sleeve 33 positively locks the mandrel 20 from rotational movement relative to the housing 23 whereby the mandrel 20 can be axially moved by the housing 23 but will not be rotated relative thereto during ihe piercing and extruding operation previously described.

However, if after the sleeve 33 has been interconnected :o the housing member 23 in the manner previously dexcribed, and it has been found that the mandrel 20 is not 11 the desired rotational position relative to the housing 23, the threaded fastening members 42 can be loosened thereby the sleeve 33 and mandrel 20 can be slightly 'otated relative to the housing member 23 within the limits )f the lengths of the slots 40 in the sleeve 33 to position he mandrel 20 in the desired rotational position relative o the housing member 23 without completely removing he fastening members 42. Thereafter, the fastening members 42 can be retightened to positively hold the iandrel 20 from rotational movement relative to the rousing 23.

In order to facilitate such adjusting rotational moveient between the sleeve 33 and the housing 23, a suitable earing surface can be provided on the tubular portion 2 of the sleeve 33. For example, reference is made to IGURES 4 and 5 wherein a bearing material 45 is isposed on the external peripheral surface of the tubular art 32 of the sleeve 33 and is provided with suitable re- :sses 46 to trap lubricant between the sleeve 33 and re internal peripheral surface of the housing member 23.

Therefore, it can be seen that not only does this in- :ntion provide an improved means for positively lock- ,e piercing and extruding mandrel relative to an axially ovable housing of a piercing and extruding apparatus, it also this invention provides improved parts for such locking means or the like.

While the form of the invention now preferred has been disclosed as required by the statutes, other forms may be used, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

'1. A piercing and extruding mandrel locking means comprising an axially movable housing having an interlooking cavity interrupting one end thereof with said cavity having an enlarged part inboard thereof, a mandrel having an enlarged end interlockingly disposed in said enlarged part of said cavity of said housing and being rotatable relative thereto in any direction without effecting said interlocking relation therebetween so that said housing and said mandrel will axially move in unison, and a sleeve interconnected to said housing outboard of said enlarged part of said cavity and to said mandrel to prevent rotation of said mandrel relative to said housing.

2. A piercing and extruding mandrel locking means as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sleeve is adjustably interconnected to said housing to provide means .to adjust the rotational position of said mandrel relative to said housing.

3. A piercing and extruding mandrel locking means as set forth in claim 1 wherein said sleeve encompasses said mandrel.

4. A piercing and extruding mandrel locking means comprising an axially movable housing having a tubular end portion, said tubular end portion being provided with an internal recess at one end thereof, said recess having an enlarged part inboard of said one end of said tubular portion, a mandrel having one end received in said tubular portion and being interlockingly interconnected to said housing by an enlarged part of said one end thereof being received in said enlarged part of said recess to move axially therewith While being rotatable relative thereto in any direction without effecting said interlocking relation therebetween so that said housing and said mandrel will axially move in unison, and a sleeve disposed in said internal recess of said housing outboard of said enlarged part thereof and being interconnected to said housing and to said mandrel to prevent rotation of said mandrel relative to said housing.

5. A piercing and extruding mandrel locking means as set forth in claim 2 wherein said sleeve has an outwardly irected annular flange at one end thereof that is interconnected to said housing.

6. A piercing and extruding mandrel locking means as set forth in claim 4 wherein said sleeve has a plurality of internal grooves formed therein and said mandrel has a plurality of projections thereof received in said grooves to prevent rotation of said mandrel relative to said housing.

7. A piercing and extruding mandrel locking means as set forth in claim 6 wherein said mandrel has a plurality of grooves formed therein and said projections are received in said grooves of said mandrel.

8. A piercing and extruding mandrel locking means comprising an axially movable housing having a tubular end portion, said tubular end portion having a plurality of threaded openings therein, said tubular end portion being provided with an internal recess at one end thereof, said recess having an enlarged part inboard of said one end of said tubular portion, a mandrel having one end received in said tubular portion and being interlockingly interconnected to said housing by an enlarged part of said one end thereof being received in said enlarged part of said recess to move axially therewith while being rotatable relative thereto in any direction without efiecting said interlocking relation therebetween so that said housing and said mandrel will axially move in unison, a sleeve disposed in said internal recess of said housing outboard of said enlarged part thereof and being interconnected to said mandrel, said sleeve having an outwardly directed flange provided with a plurality of slots passing therethrough and aligned with certain of said openings in said tubular portion of said housing, and a plurality of bolts disposed in said slots and aligned openings to intercon- 5 6 meet said sleeve with said housing to prevent rotational FOREIGN PATENTS movement of said mandrel relative to said housing. 12 606 5/1933 Australia References Cited by the Examiner 925945 5/1963 Great Bntam' UNITED STATE PATENT 5 CHARLES W. LA'NHAM, Primary Examiner.

2,063,563 12/1936 Sparks 72265 H. D. HOINK-ES, Assistant Examiner. 3,074,549 1/ 1963 Dent et a1. 72-265 

1. A PIERCING AND EXTRUDING MANDREL LOCKING MEANS COMPRISING AN AXIALLY MOVABLE HOUSING HAVING AN INTERLOCKING CAVITY INTERRUPTING ONE END THEREFO WITH SAID CAVITY HAVING AN ENLARGE PART INBOARD THEREOF, A MANDREL HAVING AN ENLARGED END INTERLOCKINGLY DISPOSED IN SAID ENLARGED PART OF SAID CAVITY OF SAID HOUSING AND BEING ROTATABLE RELATIVE THERETO IN ANY DIRECTION WITHOUT EFFECTING 